Comments on: Plastic Fantastic – The Gevaert Gevalux 144 http://h4num4n.wordpress.com/2008/04/08/plastic-fantastic-the-gevaert-gevalux-144/ pull up a comfy chair. Sun, 15 Mar 2009 22:36:03 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Hans Elfelt Bonnesen http://h4num4n.wordpress.com/2008/04/08/plastic-fantastic-the-gevaert-gevalux-144/#comment-52 Hans Elfelt Bonnesen Fri, 05 Dec 2008 00:19:55 +0000 http://h4num4n.wordpress.com/?p=46#comment-52 Funny once more to learn that Agfa bought Gevaert, This very common misconception derives from the fact that Agfa was widely more wellknown by the public than Gevaert. Up to the merger in 1964 the two companies were independent and ardent competitors, of nearly equal size and turnover. Before the merger Agfa had to aquire a substantial number of smaller German factories to make up for the difference in clout. Agfa was the photo company with i capital P whereas Gevaert was the phototechnical company doing extremely well in Graphic arts, X-ray, Photocopying, Cine-Film and Microfilm, The introduction of the Gevalux 144 was prepared over a span of years by Mr. Gaston Schwartz of the Photo Division of Gevaert Photo Producten NV in Antwerp. For that reason there was no chance of a sudden breaking of the relations with the producers of the camera in the USA, The camera is strangely enough the only camera ever made for lefthanded people. It is often said that someone mirrored drawings by fault. At the Photokina in 1964 Gevaert Photoproducten NV. had its last independent stall and introduced the Gevalux 144, unaware that this type of camera would be wiped away as Kodak introduced its Instamatic. I was personally responsable for the large photographic photos which adorned the walls of the Gevaert stall. They were all made on Gevacolor paper by the Danish master photographer Niels Bygholm, The fundamental difference beteen Agfa and Gevaert was one of the reasons for a merger. Up to the merger Gevaert was for some reason envious of Agfa's success in the photograhic world and tried in many ways to make up for that. One of the lucky strokes were the cooperation with Pako Corp. of Minneapolis, which had tried previously and unsuccessfully to get a foothold in Europe. This dealership was also worked out under the auspices of Mr. Gaston Schwartz. Numerous stainless steel processing lines of Pakoroll types for b/w and colour paper were installed all over Europe. At the same time Pakomatic b/w and Pakotronic colour printers were set in motion. Agfa had its own line of similar machines and the merger set a stop to the Pako business. Gevaert nevertheless took advantage of the continous processing machines built by Pako for the Graphic arts and x-ray films. --- Up during the 80'ies and 90'ies Agfa management did not realize the effect of digital photography, and the complete coating facilities in Leverkusen (Cologne) were broken down and sold as scrap. All employees set free The Gevaert part in Antwerp lives happily on specializing in Graphic Arts and Health care. Strangely enough that part of the business has retained the name of Agfa being a brand name easy to pronounce in any language, where Gevaert always made people uncomfortable when the word had to be spoken. Funny once more to learn that Agfa bought Gevaert, This very common misconception derives from the fact that Agfa was widely more wellknown by the public than Gevaert.
Up to the merger in 1964 the two companies were independent and ardent competitors, of nearly equal size and turnover. Before the merger Agfa had to aquire a substantial number of smaller German factories to make up for the difference in clout.
Agfa was the photo company with i capital P whereas Gevaert was the phototechnical company doing extremely well in Graphic arts, X-ray, Photocopying, Cine-Film and Microfilm,
The introduction of the Gevalux 144 was prepared over a span of years by Mr. Gaston Schwartz of the Photo Division of Gevaert Photo Producten NV in Antwerp. For that reason there was no chance of a sudden breaking of the relations with the producers of the camera in the USA,
The camera is strangely enough the only camera ever made for lefthanded people.
It is often said that someone mirrored drawings by fault.
At the Photokina in 1964 Gevaert Photoproducten NV. had its last independent stall and introduced the Gevalux 144, unaware that this type of camera would be wiped away as Kodak introduced its Instamatic.
I was personally responsable for the large photographic photos which adorned the walls of the Gevaert stall.
They were all made on Gevacolor paper by the Danish master photographer Niels Bygholm,

The fundamental difference beteen Agfa and Gevaert was one of the reasons for a merger.
Up to the merger Gevaert was for some reason envious of Agfa’s success in the photograhic world and tried in many ways to make up for that. One of the lucky strokes were the cooperation with Pako Corp. of Minneapolis, which had tried previously and unsuccessfully to get a foothold in Europe. This dealership was also worked out under the auspices of Mr. Gaston Schwartz. Numerous stainless steel processing lines of Pakoroll types for b/w and colour paper were installed all over Europe. At the same time Pakomatic b/w and Pakotronic colour printers were set in motion.
Agfa had its own line of similar machines and the merger set a stop to the Pako business. Gevaert nevertheless took advantage of the continous processing machines built by Pako for the Graphic arts and x-ray films.

—
Up during the 80′ies and 90′ies Agfa management did not realize the effect of digital photography, and the complete coating facilities in Leverkusen (Cologne) were broken down and sold as scrap. All employees set free
The Gevaert part in Antwerp lives happily on specializing in Graphic Arts and Health care. Strangely enough that part of the business has retained the name of Agfa being a brand name easy to pronounce in any language, where Gevaert always made people uncomfortable when the word had to be spoken.

]]>